Chopping module

Abstract

A chopping module is provided that is designed for grasping and pulling plants by pushing them between a rotating knife set and chopping them into billets, wherein the rotating knife set has a cylindrical form with its length divided into at least two sections, wherein various cutting segments are distributed, each one extending itself in each lengthwise section formed between the discs wherein the segments of a section are lagged or are not lengthwise aligned to those of the adjacent section. This module is advantageous in that it allows for considerable reduction of the cutting forces or pressure, and consequently allows for smooth operation and considerably increased working life of the module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A chopping module comprising a box-shaped body, comprising, a front inlet; a rear outlet, and a lower outlet; a lower pair of stationary rollers positioned crosswise adjacent to the front inlet; an upper pair of floating rollers positioned crosswise adjacent to the front inlet and above the lower pair of stationary rollers; a fixed shearbar positioned crosswise adjacent to the lower pair of stationary rollers, and a rotating blade assembly positioned crosswise adjacent to the fixed shearbar; wherein the front inlet receives harvested plants to be chopped plant;
 wherein, a passageway for the plants to be chopped is defined between the upper pair of floating rollers and the lower pair of stationary rollers; and wherein, a slide is positioned adjacent to the fixed shearbar and below the rotating blade assembly which guides chopped plants to the rear outlet, and wherein the lower outlet receives the residues from the slide; 
 wherein the rotating blade assembly comprises a tubular hub; a first internal flange; a second internal flange; a first shaft; a second shaft; a first shaft housing; a second shaft housing; a first shaft bearing; a second shaft bearing; a first set of elastic sealing rings; a second set of elastic sealing rings; a first cap; a second cap; a hydraulic motor with a driven shaft; a flanged constituent; a stirring wheel; a circular protective cover; one or more hinges; a first disc; a second disc; a third disc; a plurality of curved plates, and a plurality of arched plates; 
 wherein, the first side panel contains a first blade assembly hole and the second side panel contains a second blade assembly hole; wherein, the first blade assembly hole is reinforced by a first circular reinforcement on the outside of the first side panel; wherein, the second blade assembly hole is reinforced by a second circular reinforcement on the outside of the second side panel; wherein, the second blade assembly hole is further reinforced by a third circular reinforcement on the inside of the second side panel; wherein, the first cap is secured to the first shaft housing and the first shaft housing is secured to the first shaft; wherein, the first set of elastic sealing rings and the first shaft bearings are secured between the first shaft housing and the first shaft; wherein, the second cap is secured to the second shaft housing and the second shaft housing is secured to the second shaft; wherein, the second set of elastic sealing rings and the second shaft bearings are secured between the second shaft housing and the second shaft; wherein, the first shaft has a fitting which couples to the driven shaft of the hydraulic motor; wherein, the hydraulic motor is secured to the first cap; wherein, the second shaft couples with the flanged constituent; wherein, the flanged constituent is fixed to the stirring wheel; wherein, the stirring wheel is embedded in the circular protective cover; wherein, the circular protective cover is secured to the second circular reinforcement with the one or more hinges; wherein, a first edge of the tubular hub is secured to the first internal flange and the first internal flange is fixed to a central hole of the first disc; wherein, a second edge of the tubular hub is secured to the second internal flange and the second internal flange is fixed to a central hole of the second disc; wherein, the third disc is situated on the tubular hub between the first disc and the second disc; wherein, the curved plates are distributed radially along the tubular hub perpendicular to the first disc, the second disc, and the third disc; wherein, the arched plates are radially distributed along the tubular hub parallel to the first disc, the second disc, and third disc; wherein, each of the curved plates has a short straight edge; wherein, each short straight edge has a blade holder welded to it; wherein each blade holder has a recess and a fastening strip which is fixed to the blade holder by a row of screws forming a housing for blade segments between the blade holder and the fastening strip; wherein, each blade segment includes a plurality of coincident slots receiving the row of screws; wherein, an outside edge of each blade segment is sharpened on a bevel to form a first cutting edge; wherein, an outside edge of each blade holder is sharpened on a bevel to form a second cutting edge; wherein, an outside edge of each fastening strip is sharpened on a bevel to form a third cutting edge; wherein, on each short straight edge, the first cutting edge, the second cutting edge, and the third cutting edge are arranged complementary to each other to form a strong cutting front; and wherein, each strong cutting front passes adjacent to the fixed shearbar when the rotating cutting assembly is in operation; and 
 wherein each cutting segment is extending itself according to a length corresponding to the lengthwise section formed between one disc and at least an intermediate disc. 
 
     
     
       2. A chopping module comprising a box-shaped body, comprising, a front inlet; a rear outlet, and a lower outlet; a lower pair of stationary rollers positioned crosswise adjacent to the front inlet; an upper pair of floating rollers positioned crosswise adjacent to the front inlet and above the lower pair of stationary rollers; a fixed shearbar positioned crosswise adjacent to the lower pair of stationary rollers, and a rotating blade assembly positioned crosswise adjacent to the fixed shearbar; wherein the front inlet receives harvested plants to be chopped plant;
 wherein, a passageway for the plants to be chopped is defined between the upper pair of floating rollers and the lower pair of stationary rollers; and wherein, a slide is positioned adjacent to the fixed shearbar and below the rotating blade assembly which guides chopped plants to the rear outlet, and wherein the lower outlet receives the residues from the slide; 
 wherein the rotating blade assembly comprises a tubular hub; a first internal flange; a second internal flange; a first shaft; a second shaft; a first shaft housing; a second shaft housing; a first shaft bearing; a second shaft bearing; a first set of elastic sealing rings; a second set of elastic sealing rings; a first cap; a second cap; a hydraulic motor with a driven shaft; a flanged constituent; a stirring wheel; a circular protective cover; one or more hinges; a first disc; a second disc; a third disc; a plurality of curved plates, and a plurality of arched plates; 
 wherein, the first side panel contains a first blade assembly hole and the second side panel contains a second blade assembly hole; wherein, the first blade assembly hole is reinforced by a first circular reinforcement on the outside of the first side panel; wherein, the second blade assembly hole is reinforced by a second circular reinforcement on the outside of the second side panel; wherein, the second blade assembly hole is further reinforced by a third circular reinforcement on the inside of the second side panel; wherein, the first cap is secured to the first shaft housing and the first shaft housing is secured to the first shaft; wherein, the first set of elastic sealing rings and the first shaft bearings are secured between the first shaft housing and the first shaft; wherein, the second cap is secured to the second shaft housing and the second shaft housing is secured to the second shaft; wherein, the second set of elastic sealing rings and the second shaft bearings are secured between the second shaft housing and the second shaft; wherein, the first shaft has a fitting which couples to the driven shaft of the hydraulic motor; wherein, the hydraulic motor is secured to the first cap; wherein, the second shaft couples with the flanged constituent; wherein, the flanged constituent is fixed to the stirring wheel; wherein, the stirring wheel is embedded in the circular protective cover; wherein, the circular protective cover is secured to the second circular reinforcement with the one or more hinges; wherein, a first edge of the tubular hub is secured to the first internal flange and the first internal flange is fixed to a central hole of the first disc; wherein, a second edge of the tubular hub is secured to the second internal flange and the second internal flange is fixed to a central hole of the second disc; wherein, the third disc is situated on the tubular hub between the first disc and the second disc; wherein, the curved plates are distributed radially along the tubular hub perpendicular to the first disc, the second disc, and the third disc; wherein, the arched plates are radially distributed along the tubular hub parallel to the first disc, the second disc, and third disc; wherein, each of the curved plates has a short straight edge; wherein, each short straight edge has a blade holder welded to it; wherein each blade holder has a recess and a fastening strip which is fixed to the blade holder by a row of screws forming a housing for blade segments between the blade holder and the fastening strip; wherein, each blade segment includes a plurality of coincident slots receiving the row of screws; wherein, an outside edge of each blade segment is sharpened on a bevel to form a first cutting edge; wherein, an outside edge of each blade holder is sharpened on a bevel to form a second cutting edge; wherein, an outside edge of each fastening strip is sharpened on a bevel to form a third cutting edge; wherein, on each short straight edge, the first cutting edge, the second cutting edge, and the third cutting edge are arranged complementary to each other to form a strong cutting front; and wherein, each strong cutting front passes adjacent to the fixed shearbar when the rotating cutting assembly is in operation; and 
 wherein each cutting segment extends itself between two intermediate discs when the set includes two or more intermediate discs. 
 
     
     
       3. A chopping module comprising a box-shaped body, comprising, a front inlet; a rear outlet, and a lower outlet; a lower pair of stationary rollers positioned crosswise adjacent to the front inlet; an upper pair of floating rollers positioned crosswise adjacent to the front inlet and above the lower pair of stationary rollers; a fixed shearbar positioned crosswise adjacent to the lower pair of stationary rollers, and a rotating blade assembly positioned crosswise adjacent to the fixed shearbar; wherein the front inlet receives harvested plants to be chopped plant;
 wherein, a passageway for the plants to be chopped is defined between the upper pair of floating rollers and the lower pair of stationary rollers; and wherein, a slide is positioned adjacent to the fixed shearbar and below the rotating blade assembly which guides chopped plants to the rear outlet, and wherein the lower outlet receives the residues from the slide; 
 wherein the rotating blade assembly comprises a tubular hub; a first internal flange; a second internal flange; a first shaft; a second shaft; a first shaft housing; a second shaft housing; a first shaft bearing; a second shaft bearing; a first set of elastic sealing rings; a second set of elastic sealing rings; a first cap; a second cap; a hydraulic motor with a driven shaft; a flanged constituent; a stirring wheel; a circular protective cover; one or more hinges; a first disc; a second disc; a third disc; a plurality of curved plates, and a plurality of arched plates; 
 wherein, the first side panel contains a first blade assembly hole and the second side panel contains a second blade assembly hole; wherein, the first blade assembly hole is reinforced by a first circular reinforcement on the outside of the first side panel; wherein, the second blade assembly hole is reinforced by a second circular reinforcement on the outside of the second side panel; wherein, the second blade assembly hole is further reinforced by a third circular reinforcement on the inside of the second side panel; wherein, the first cap is secured to the first shaft housing and the first shaft housing is secured to the first shaft; wherein, the first set of elastic sealing rings and the first shaft bearings are secured between the first shaft housing and the first shaft; wherein, the second cap is secured to the second shaft housing and the second shaft housing is secured to the second shaft; wherein, the second set of elastic sealing rings and the second shaft bearings are secured between the second shaft housing and the second shaft; wherein, the first shaft has a fitting which couples to the driven shaft of the hydraulic motor; wherein, the hydraulic motor is secured to the first cap; wherein, the second shaft couples with the flanged constituent; wherein, the flanged constituent is fixed to the stirring wheel; wherein, the stirring wheel is embedded in the circular protective cover; wherein, the circular protective cover is secured to the second circular reinforcement with the one or more hinges; wherein, a first edge of the tubular hub is secured to the first internal flange and the first internal flange is fixed to a central hole of the first disc; wherein, a second edge of the tubular hub is secured to the second internal flange and the second internal flange is fixed to a central hole of the second disc; wherein, the third disc is situated on the tubular hub between the first disc and the second disc; wherein, the curved plates are distributed radially along the tubular hub perpendicular to the first disc, the second disc, and the third disc; wherein, the arched plates are radially distributed along the tubular hub parallel to the first disc, the second disc, and third disc; wherein, each of the curved plates has a short straight edge; wherein, each short straight edge has a blade holder welded to it; wherein each blade holder has a recess and a fastening strip which is fixed to the blade holder by a row of screws forming a housing for blade segments between the blade holder and the fastening strip; wherein, each blade segment includes a plurality of coincident slots receiving the row of screws; wherein, an outside edge of each blade segment is sharpened on a bevel to form a first cutting edge; wherein, an outside edge of each blade holder is sharpened on a bevel to form a second cutting edge; wherein, an outside edge of each fastening strip is sharpened on a bevel to form a third cutting edge; wherein, on each short straight edge, the first cutting edge, the second cutting edge, and the third cutting edge are arranged complementary to each other to form a strong cutting front; and wherein, each strong cutting front passes adjacent to the fixed shearbar when the rotating cutting assembly is in operation; and 
 wherein each cutting segment of a section is lagged or not aligned lengthwise to another segment of the adjacent section.